Industrial vehicles including construction and material handling trucks are typically required to transport and lift heavy loads. These loads may dramatically affect a balance or stability of the industrial vehicle during operation. To compensate for these effects on vehicle stability, various methods and systems may be employed to allow the vehicle to safely operate under these conditions. For example, dual drive tires may be mounted to the vehicle to improve side stability. Additional counterweight or a longer wheelbase may be provided to improve forward stability.
Some vehicles include stabilizers which can be provided at the front of the vehicle to improve vehicle stability. For example, some heavy duty construction vehicles include two hydraulic cylinders positioned on the frame in front of the drive axle, which extend when the stabilizer function is applied. The hydraulic cylinders are connected to the vehicle frame in order to exert a force on the ground, which lifts the front end of the vehicle, including the drive wheels, into the air.
By including the stabilizers in the front of the vehicle, a forward stability can be greatly improved. However, by removing the weight from the drive wheels, the side stability of the vehicle may be decreased. Reduced side stability combined with other factors such as windy weather conditions, an off-center load, or uneven terrain can present operational difficulties.
The present invention addresses these and other problems.